Qing Long and Liu Xinbei felt a jolt run through them at the sound; it was unmistakably the sound of empty chambers.

"Damn it...!" Qing Long, his face etched with frustration, flung the gun away.

"Heh heh! Now let's see you die! Get them!" Li Hun grinned sinisterly, his silhouette flickering as he moved to take cover beside a tree, shouting from there.

"Hiss... hiss!"

"Boss!" Liu Xinbei suddenly cried out, his face draining of color as he saw two shadowy figures slash Qing Long’s arm, drawing blood.

"Bastards!" Qing Long cursed inwardly, feeling utterly helpless. He was no match for these assailants. He could barely catch glimpses of their forms, let alone fight back. If he hadn't possessed some personal skill, the cut to his arm might have been far worse than just bleeding; his arms could have been severed.

"Old Liu... watch out!"

Before Qing Long could finish his warning, a strange, gleaming blade flashed across Liu Xinbei’s neck. His eyes widened instantly as he crashed to the ground.

"Old Liu!" Qing Long took a couple of steps toward him before stopping short. The stiffness in his expression betrayed the intense anger boiling inside. Liu Xinbei had followed him for over a decade, and together they had weathered countless storms. Though their deep bond was rarely spoken, Qing Long considered Liu Xinbei a true brother.

It must be said that Qing Long possessed a degree of loyalty and righteousness, but that sentiment lasted only a fleeting moment. After all, survival was paramount right now.

But thinking of escape only brought him deeper into despair. He was completely outmatched by the men before him. He had already established this fact repeatedly—how could he possibly flee?

"Qing Long!"

"Ugh!" Hearing the voice made Qing Long’s heart clench violently.

"Don't think I don't know you want to run. But do you really think it’s that easy? Even if you escape these six men, do you think you can escape my grasp? I told you, if the Sect Master wants someone dead, they absolutely won't live to see tomorrow!" Li Hun completely extinguished Qing Long’s nascent hope of slipping away.

"Li Hun!" Qing Long roared out in sudden fury, his feet already moving. His shadow swept past the figures from the Xiaoyao Sect and landed directly in front of Li Hun, delivering a powerful punch without a word.

"Bang!"

Li Hun parried the ferocious blow with a single open palm, a look of contempt curling his lips. "Do you really think you're my equal? You can't even handle an ordinary member of the Xiaoyao Sect, yet you dare challenge me?"

With a sound like "Pfft!", Qing Long’s back arched dramatically, his mouth forming an 'O' shape, on the verge of spitting blood, though blood was already seeping from him. He stared at Li Hun with unconcealed unwillingness.

"Damn, that was dull. Is that all?"

"Let's go," Yang Yi took a deep breath and turned away.

Fatty Lin glanced at Yang Yi, then looked back at the scene, shook his head, and followed.

"Brother Yi, now...!" Fatty Lin was about to ask Yang Yi something when he saw him engrossed in a phone call, so he swallowed his words.

"Hello, Yanran. Begin comprehensive action against all assets of the Qing Gang immediately. Try to secure control of all remaining Qing Gang properties before dawn tomorrow."

"Understood!"

"Snap!" Yang Yi ended the call, a faint smile playing on his lips. He then asked, "Fatty, ever heard of killing and looting?"

"Uh, I've heard a little," Fatty Lin replied.

"And what do you think the current situation amounts to?"

"Well...!" Fatty Lin furrowed his brow, then a slow realization dawned on him, followed by a slight smile. "The Xiaoyao Sect did the killing; we're doing the looting!"

"Exactly. Does that answer your question?"

"Sweat!"

"Let's go back. The structure of the South is settled, but the real work has just begun."

"Yes, it's truly reached this point. But Brother Yi, when we launch our major offensive across the country, what about the North...?"

"Does that even need asking? No one will willingly give up what they possess. The North is a huge 'malignant tumor.' Before that, we must unify all the major gangs in East China, South China, West China, Central China, Southeast Asia, and the Delta regions, excluding the North. Only then will we possess the strength to stand on a higher stage!" Yang Yi cut Fatty Lin off mid-sentence.

Noticing Fatty Lin's heavy expression, Yang Yi continued, "That's not all. After dealing with these matters, the Eight Great Families and the situation in the North will soon be coming to a head. But the most crucial thing is still...!"

Yang Yi trailed off. There were simply too many things awaiting his action. Fatty Lin understood clearly: it hadn't been easy for the two of them to come from a remote village and reach this stage in just over two years. Yet, they were luckier than many, having avoided unnecessary detours.

The car drove on slowly, the two occupants burdened by heavy thoughts. Although the Southern campaign had seemingly concluded, the true challenges were just beginning. This fact alone was enough to weigh them down, as their organization had just taken its most significant first step in the underworld.

Unbeknownst to them, this very burden would pave the way for the Black God Gang's unification of the underworld. Their advance toward Jinghua was something they couldn't yet foresee, and the sights and experiences along this journey would be unprecedented.

The next day...

The entirety of Hainan seemed unusually calm, as if nothing had happened. But a closer look revealed the truth. The Qing Gang had vanished from the roster of the nation's four major gangs; now, only the Black God Gang and the Crown Prince Party remained.

As the name implied, the Black God Gang was now the largest faction nationwide, its power eclipsing that of the Crown Prince Party. News that the Black God Gang had eliminated the South's two largest factions within just a few months spread rapidly, causing smaller underworld forces to begin clustering around them. After all, a single word from such a massive power could crush any small organization.

Of course, this was the way of the world: some were shrewd, and some were foolish, but none of this worried Yang Yi's grand design. He wasn't concerned about whether the Black God Gang could achieve his goal of dominating all of China, excluding the North.

He was already contemplating the North. He stood by a window, nursing a glass of vivid red wine, taking a sip. His expression was blank, devoid even of his signature smile.

"Young Master!"

"En?" Yang Yi responded calmly without turning around.

Feng Shi approached Yang Yi, resting her small head gently against his shoulder. "Is the North next?"

"Yes, the North is next."

"I've always heard the North is overflowing with talent—the capital is filled with rich young masters. Our next move might not be so easy."

"Indeed. That has been my chief concern," Yang Yi mused with a faint smile. "However, no matter the hardship, no matter the difficulty, I firmly believe the Black God Gang will reach an even higher stage. Since I embarked on this path, I made a silent vow: no matter what, I will make the Black God Gang command fear and trembling across the nation and even the world!"

"Young Master, don't take on too much burden—"

"Yanran!" Yang Yi called out before Feng Shi could finish. He paused, then continued thoughtfully, "Actually, isn't this good?"

At this, Feng Shi looked up at him. Her delicate features radiated an unexpected resolve, and the air of irreverence around her was thick with palpable energy. In that moment, she realized she was staring at him, completely captivated...

"Elder Qin, that is the situation," a middle-aged man reported to Qin Feng.

After listening, Qin Feng’s expression darkened slightly, though it was mixed with anticipation. These subtle shifts were keenly observed by the man reporting, who felt a deep confusion rising, wondering why Qin Feng was showing such intense interest in that particular individual.

"Heh heh, you may go. I understand everything," Qin Feng managed, waving his hand dismissively.

"Yes!" The middle-aged man replied, exiting with a head full of unanswered questions.

The instant the door clicked shut behind the man, Qin Feng erupted in loud laughter. "Haha, worthy of Old Yang's grandson! Interesting, very interesting. This young man has already reached this altitude; it seems we will cross paths sooner than expected."

As he spoke, the smile vanished from Qin Feng's face, replaced by an unreadable expression. A chilling glint appeared in his eyes, and his tone turned subtly cryptic. "Under the general premise and the minor premise, we are both people of extreme ambition. I must make preparations, otherwise, if things turn contrary, that will not do!"

"The capital is a fine place, but if you wish to rule the national underworld, you will first have to pass the test of those three old fellows. Let’s hope it doesn't involve bloodshed; try to assimilate as many as possible. If not, the situation could become dire. Haha, the thing I feared most has suddenly materialized. Yet, it is also the thing I anticipated most. Old Yang, Old Yang, your grandson is truly remarkable!"

Qin Feng murmured to himself, then glanced at the documents on his desk. He swept aside the top sheet to reveal dossiers on five individuals.

File One: Yang Yi.

File Two: Fatty Lin.

File Three: Ling Tian.

File Four: Mo Leng.

File Five: Fang Kai.

These five were now the notorious, fear-inspiring leaders of the national underworld.